Chapter 82.1: “I won’t be able to sleep.”

But Ji Lin didn’t have time to come see her, and Lin Hui came instead.

This time, he didn’t leave a message or call Bai Duan Duan. Instead, he waited directly at the entrance of Bai Duan Duan’s residential complex. He was wearing a sharp suit. When Bai Duan Duan saw him, he was hunched over, smoking. In the dim light, Bai Duan Duan could only see his silhouette from a distance. He looked like an ordinary middle-aged man who had experienced setbacks. The cold night breeze brushed his forehead, causing him to slightly shrink.

Although Ji Lin always hinted at Lin Hui’s age in his words, Bai Duan Duan never really felt it. In her heart, Lin Hui was still the representative of youth and vitality. Whenever he appeared in court, he was always spirited and full of fighting spirit. At this moment, for the first time, Bai Duan Duan suddenly realized that the once spirited Lin Teacher seemed to have truly aged.

Lin Hui still had a somewhat weary expression. He turned around, saw Bai Duan Duan, extinguished his cigarette, and coughed twice. His voice was somewhat hoarse. “Duan Duan, I…”

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Gp kq yqayke vbyv Jyk Pwyd Pwyd oswze ktdsal bkx, Nkd Twk iwknjzu oyzjle wr vs bla yde czsnjle bla ryvb.

Tl zssjle psxlobyv bwxczl yde ekpblhlzle, obknb xyel Jyk Pwyd Pwyd qllz y ckv pye. Rd qynv, Nkd Twk eked’v dlle vs es vbkp. Fbl eked’v byhl vs nsxrzlvlzu ktdsal bkx yde oyzj yoyu. Jwv pbl eked’v jdso obld vblka alzyvksdpbkr bye clnsxl zkjl vbkp, qkzzle okvb y nywvkswp yde qaytkzl pldpl sq ekpvydnl.

Jyk Pwyd Pwyd pvsrrle yde zssjle iwklvzu yv Nkd Twk.

Nkd Twk pllxle vs tyvbla bkp nswaytl. Tl vssj y ellr calyvb. “R… R ealyxv sq Dkysmky alnldvzu.”

“R byhld’v clld yczl vs ealyx sq bla qsa y hlau zsdt vkxl.” Nkd Twk pllxle vs cl nbsjle cu vbl nsze okde. Tl nswtble y qlo vkxlp, bkp hsknl psxlobyv ekpvydv, bkp yrrlyaydnl psxlobyv wdlypu. “Yyucl kv’p xu kddla nsoyaeknl yde lpnyrkpx. Zsw’al aktbv, R plzqkpbzu nbspl vbl oasdt ryvb yde rwpble yzz alprsdpkckzkvu sdvs vbl swvpkel osaze, sdvs psnklvu’p kdfwpvknl. Jwv… kv’p ynvwyzzu clnywpl R pwaaldelale vs ekqqknwzvklp okvbswv lhld rwvvkdt wr y qktbv. Xhla vbl ulyap, xyucl kv’p dsv vbyv R nswzed’v ealyx sq Dkysmky, cwv vbyv R eked’v eyal vs ealyx sq bla clnywpl R eked’v jdso bso vs qynl bla okvb obyv jkde sq elxlydsa.”

“I’m a coward. I indulged in my own frustration and pain. I numbed myself with fame and fortune, concealing my past with a face similar to Xiaoxia’s. I…” Lin Hui took a deep breath. “Duan Duan, what you said is all true.”

“I know that you don’t want to see me at all right now. You think I’m a despicable and vile middle-aged man, and you believe that every word I say is a lie. I don’t expect to regain your trust, but I just want to say thank you. Thank you for still being willing to scold me.”

Lin Hui’s voice trembled slightly. “I named the law firm after Xiaoxia’s name and my own name, considering it as our child. Over the years, I watched ZhaoHui drift further and further away, but maybe I myself have also strayed too far. Far enough to completely deviate from my original intention, far enough to lose myself completely.”

Bai Duan Duan pursed her lips and looked at Lin Hui.

“I fired Du Xinyi.”

Bai Duan Duan showed a slight surprise.

“Xiaoxia is dead. Even if someone else has a face identical to hers, they are not her. In this world, no one can replace her. I should wake up from my self-deception.” Lin Hui lowered his head. “Duan Duan, I’m sorry for the days with . I’m sorry for making you suffer.”

Bai Duan Duan remembered the past when Du Xinyi suffered setbacks. She had waited so long for this apology from Lin Hui. But now, hearing it from him in person, she felt a sense of release.

“It’s okay,” her voice was soft. “I’m not angry anymore.”

Lin Hui looked up. “I think it’s time for me to take a break and think about what I should do. I don’t want to meet Xiaoxia in the afterlife, not even I have the face to see her. ZhaoHui, carrying her name, should do something that she expected of me.”

Lin Hui took a deep breath. “Duan Duan, today I signed a contract with several remote legal aid centers in City C. For the next five years, ZhaoHui will cooperate with those centers without charge, representing cases in need of legal aid, regardless of their size. In order to better serve the people in those remote villages who need assistance, starting from tomorrow, I will be stationed in City C for the next five years. Today can also be considered as my farewell to you.”

City C is a poor city that is a five-hour drive away from City A. It lacks resources and is mostly accessible through mountain roads, making transportation inconvenient. The infrastructure, education, and healthcare levels are relatively backward. In some remote villages, there isn’t even a decent inn. Even experiencing life there is something no one is willing to do. Unexpectedly, Lin Hui is preparing to go there for five years…

Bai Duan Duan’s heart is filled with complex emotions. The Lin Hui before her looks exhausted, with bloodshot eyes. However, when it comes to legal aid, for the first time, a sense of relief and a calm sadness appear on his face.

People always have to redeem themselves. With Xiaoxia sister no longer here, Lin Hui has finally come to realize that he needs to move on. For him, it is probably a painful rebirth, but not necessarily a bad thing.

Bai Duan Duan sincerely gives her blessing, “Xiaoxia sister would be happy for you from the afterlife. The past is already gone. Look to the future.”

Lin Hui, seeing Bai Duan Duan’s softened attitude, speaks up, “About Ji Lin…,” he feels awkward and embarrassed, “I tried to send him messages and call him before, but he clearly doesn’t want to see me. But I don’t actually want to bother him with anything. I just think you’re right. Over these years, I owe him an apology. He may not want to see me, but can you convey my apology to him? Even though the past hurts can never be fully repaired, I still feel like I should apologize to him.”

Unfortunately, this time, Bai Duan Duan firmly refuses him, “I can’t help you convey an apology. I don’t have the right to do that. And Ji Lin isn’t obligated to listen to your apology. Of course, you can choose to apologize, but that’s how the world works. Not all apologies will be forgiven.”

Lin Hui lowers his head, “I’m sorry…”

It’s evident that Lin Hui’s emotions are unstable at the moment. The string is pulled too tight and can easily snap. In the cold wind, he appears worn and desolate. Bai Duan Duan recalls all the genuine kindness he showed her in the past and finally bows to him.

“For everything that has happened, thank you,” Bai Duan Duan raises her head and looks at Lin Hui, finally saying softly, “City C has harsh conditions, so please take care of yourself, Teacher Lin.”

The words “Teacher Lin” make Lin Hui lift his head in surprise. His expression finally shows a bit of vitality, and then he nods solemnly towards Bai Duan Duan, as if relieved. “I will, Duan Duan. Thank you for this journey.”

Many times, this is how the encounters between people unfold. They accompany each other for a while on their life’s journey, experiencing mutual support, gratitude, conflicts, and disagreements. In the end, they part ways. However, the next time they meet, Bai Duan Duan thinks, whether it’s Lin Hui or herself, perhaps they have both grown and transformed into better individuals.

___________

Ji Lin didn’t have time for Lin Hui, but similarly, it seemed that there was no time left for Bai Duan Duan either. Bai Duan Duan actually wanted to talk to Ji Lin about recent events, but Ji Lin was becoming busier and busier. It had reached a point where even meeting him in person had become a luxury. On the other hand, gifts kept coming, almost as if for the first time Bai Duan Duan was receiving them and feeling unhappy about it.

Bai Duan Duan felt it was time to seek some sense of existence as Ji Lin’s girlfriend.

However, she quickly gave up on that idea.

During lunchtime, although she couldn’t catch Ji Lin, Bai Duan Duan unexpectedly ran into Rong Sheng. Even though seeing her probably reminded him of her culinary disasters, his face showed a constipated expression. Nevertheless, Bai Duan Duan ultimately managed to intercept him through the threat of force.

Bai Duan Duan originally intended to tactfully inquire about Ji Lin’s recent situation from Rong Sheng. However, before she could even speak, Rong Sheng voluntarily gave her an account. He stared at Bai Duan Duan and complained incessantly, “Can you and Ji Lin stop putting on such serious faces all the time? It’s almost New Year’s. Can’t you be happy? With your constant gloomy expressions, you’re affecting my mood too. I’m always anxious inside, and even my sleep quality has been affected. Lately, Ji Lin has been dragging me to work overtime and go on business trips. I haven’t even found a partner yet. As a man who needs to go on blind dates, I require constant maintenance!”

He sounded very resentful, “Ji Lin, he took on a case similar to the one his father dealt with back then. Currently, he has no clue about it, and it reminds him of his father’s business and its subsequent development. He is under tremendous psychological pressure, and his emotions are tightly wound every day. That’s understandable. But what about you, Lawyer Bai? I see you flaunting your designer bags and shoes every day, looking so radiant. Why do you always have a serious face?”

Bai Duan Duan was taken aback for a moment, then furrowed her brow. “What case did Ji Lin encounter?”